Yarn winding machine



Nov. 3, 1936. H, LEEDHAM 2,059,589

YARN WINDING MACHINE Filed Jan 10, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR NOV. 3, 1936. H, LEEDHAM 2,059,589

YARN WINDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 10, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 3, 1936. L. H. LEEDHAM YARN WINDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 10, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR WWW NOV. 3, 1936. H. LEEDHAM 2,059,589

YARN WINDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 10, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 10 VIII/M! 1% a Patented Nov. 3, 19356 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE YARN WINDING MACHINE Application January 10, 1934, Serial No. 706,055 In Great Britain January 30, 1933 8 Claims. (01. 242-27) This invention consists in improvements in or relating toyarn winding machines such, for example, as those used in the winding of yarn on to a bobbin for subsequent employment in a knitting machine.

In such machines it is known to employ a bobbin or like support having a conical yarnreceiving surface extending throughout a portion or the who-1e of the length of the bobbin and to employ a variable speed driving mechanism for the winding spindle upon which the bobbin or the like is carried whereby the speed of rotation of the bobbin at any given time will bear apredetermined relation to the diameter of that 15- part of the conical surface about which the yarn isgbeing Wound. If the bobbin is only partially conical the winding of the yarn will commence on that conical portion and consequently as the bobbin is gradually filled with yarn the uppersurface at least of the yarn package will remain conical and the variable speed relationship will be operative in conjunction with the conical surface of the yarn package on which the wound yarn is built up.

25 An object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine of this type having a variable speed drive for the bobbin spindle with means enabling the starting up of the spindle from rest to be effected with greater smoothness than heretofore. I

The present invention comprises in or for a winding machine of the above type, the combination of a relatively slow speed starting drive for driving the spindle from rest up to a speed comparable with the slowest speed of the variable speed drive, and drive change-over means for coupling a winding spindle with either the relatively slow speed drive or the variable speed drive at will.

40 Preferably, the relatively slow speed drive oomprises driving elements, one of which is capable of slipping or otherwise yielding relatively to another element so as to afford a yielding drive upon the spindle on starting it into rotation from rest.

45 In a preferred form of the invention the drive change-over means is operable to couple the variable speed drive with the spindle only at a time when the variable speed drive will impart its slowest speed (or approximately its slowest speed torthe bobbin spindle. In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, a preferred example will now be de-'. scribed with the aid of the accompanying draw- 55 ings, in which- I Figure 1 is an elevation of the parts essential to the understanding of the invention,

Figure 2 is a view looking from the left of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an elevation and is a section on the line3-3 of Figure 2 showing only certain parts-of the mechanism in greater detail when the bobbin spindle-is at rest,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the parts in position to couple the bobbin spindle with the relatively slow speed starting drive,

Figure 5 is' a similar view showing the parts in position after the drive has been changed over to the variable speed drive,

Figure 6 illustrates in section a modification of the friction driving wheel and its spindle employed in the relatively slow speed starting drive,

Figure '7 is an end view of a further modification of the same friction wheel and its spindle,

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure '7, and- Figure 9 is a plan showing'the relative positions of the two friction wheels of the relatively slow starting drive in the position at which they are first brought into driving relationship.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring first of all to Figures 1 and 2, the main bobbin spindle supporting rail is shown at H) and each bobbin spindle II is supported from the rail II] in bearings provided in a bracket designated generally by the reference numeral l2. The bracket l2 affords guide bearings for an endwise movable rising and falling rod l3 which at its upper end carries the customary yarn guide and riser mechanism whereby the yarn is fed to the bobbin M. Such mechanism is well understood andasl of itself it forms no part of the present invention is not illustrated. The rising and falling rod I3 is reciprocated by a lever I5 40 pivoted at I6, in a bracket I1 secured to the fixed partof the frame of the machine. The reciprocation .of the lever I5 may be effected by a cam (not illustrated) mounted on or driven from a cam-shaft l8. Only the lower portion of the bobbin is shown in the accompanying drawings and it will be understood that this bobbin is constructed in conformity with known practice with a conical base surmounted by a cylindrical stem..

The main driving shaft for the spindles is shown at I9 and for each spindle there is provided, secured to the shaft 19, a small friction wheel 20 constituting an element of the relatively slow starting drive and a large friction wheel 2| constituting the driving friction wheel of the variable speed drive. As is customary, the shaft I9 is capable not only of rotation but of endwise movement in order to traverse the friction wheel 20 substantially radially with respect to a companion friction disc or wheel 22 keyed to the spindle H by means of a key 23. Thus the friction wheel 22 is constrained to rotate always with the spindle l but is capable of movement up and down along that spindle.

(Jo-operating with the friction wheel 20 is an intermediate friction wheel 24 and, inasmuch as the wheel 26 will partake of the endwise movement of shaft E9 the width of the wheel 20 is made sufiiciently great that wheel 24 can be brought into engagement with the wheel 20 irrespective of the position the latter may have attained due to reciprocation of shaft l9.

The wheel 24 is mounted for rotation on a stud 25 at one end of an arm 26 which at its other end is pivotally mounted at 2'! in one arm 28 of a bell crank 28, 29. The bellcrank is pivoted at 30 in a bracket |26 and at its angle is formed with an extension piece 3!. Slidingly mounted against the face of the extension piece 3| is a trigger release handle 32 formed with slots to engage the pivot pin 36 and another pin 33 spaced therefrom and secured in the extension piece 3 I, thereby permitting endwise movement of the handle 32. The means for synchronizing the rotation of the cam with that of shaft l9 comprises two intermeshing gear elements 76 and 1| mounted respectively to rotate with the shafts I8 and I9. The gear ratio will be such as to bring about the synchronization of the movement of cam 49 in the manner specified herein. Reciprocation of the shaft I6 is obtained by means of a grooved collar 52 secured to shaft IS, a grooved helical cam 13 secured to shaft l8 and a rocking arm 14 mounted to reciprocate on a pillar l and having its two extremities engaged respectively in the grooves of collar 12 and snail cam 13. Reciprocating means of this character is well known in winding machines of the type contemplated by the present invention but no novelty is claimed in respect of the reciprocating mechanism. The handle is normally drawn towards the pivot 30 by means of a spring 34 anchored at one end (at 35) to the handle 32 and to the other end (at 36) to the bellcrank. A notch 37 formed in the inner end of the handle 32 is, when the parts are in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, drawn into engagement with a pin 38 secured to the bracket l2 and thus in the position referred to the bellcrank will be held so as to raise the wheel 24 clear of its companion wheel 20 and at the same time to engage friction wheel 22 and to lift it against the pressure of a spring 39 clear of the variable speed friction wheel 2|. The arm 26 is limited as to its rotation in an anticlockwise direction about its pivot 27 by means integral with the arm 26 which comes into engagement with the end of a setscrew 4|. The latter is mounted in a lug 42 on the arm 28 and is locked in its adjusted position by means of a lock nut 43. Consequently when the parts are brought to the position of Figures 1 to 3, the wheel 24 is enabled, by means of the engagement between the lug 40 and setscrew 4|, to raise the wheel 22 against the pressure of 1 spring 39, but it will be observed that the arm 26 is free to turn, for a purpose to be described later, in a clockwise direction about its pivot 21.

A catch 44 pivoted intermediate itsv ends at 45 in the bracket 20 has a nose 46 at its upper end which is normally drawn by a spring 41 into a position to engage the end of the arm 29 of the bell crank. The spring 41 is anchored at one end to the catch 44 at a position above the pivot 45 and at its other end to the bracket l2. The lower or tail end of the catch 44 is formed with a projection 48 serving as a cam follower to engage cam 49 secured on the cam-shaft l8. The cam 49 will be rotated synchronously with the cam by which the lever H5 is reciprocated and synchronously also with the cam by which the shaft I9 is reciprocated endwise. The relation between these three cams is such that cam 49 will only move to the position shown in Figure 5 to release the catch 46 from the arm 29 at a time when the cam controlling the lever I5 has brought the rod l3 to its lowest position and the cam controlling reciprocation of the shaft l9 has moved the friction wheel 2| to the chain-line position illustrated in Figure 2 at which position the friction wheel 22, if it is brought into engagement with the wheel 2|, will be driven at the slowest speed of the variable speed drive comprising wheels 2| and 22.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows:

When the parts are in the position illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the spindle will be at rest although the main driving shaft is at the time being driven not only for rotation but for reciprocation. This condition exists because the wheel 24 has been raised clear of engagement with the wheel 20 and has at the same time raised wheel 22 clear of engagement with the wheel 2|. When it is desired to start up the spindle the trigger release handle is pulled outwardly in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 4 to release notch 3'! from pin 38, whereafter the handle can be manually turned by hand anti-clockwise about its pivot 30 to lower the wheel 24 into engagement with wheel 20. The position of the parts under these conditions is shown in Figure 4 and it will be observed that the nose 46 of the catch 44 has engaged the end of arm 29 to limit rotation of the handle and bell-crank in an anti-clockwise direction about the pivot 36 beyond the position shown. As the wheel 24 is first lowered on to the wheel 20 engagement between the wheels 24 and 22 will be substantially at a point 56 shown in Figure 9 and at this position slip can readily occur between wheels 24 and 22 so that the gradual starting up of the spindle II is effected and after this engagement has occurred the wheel 24 will travel slightly round the periphery of wheel 20 until the position shown in Figure 4 has been reached.

The wheel 22 is still, however, raised clear of friction wheel 2| but when the cam 49 next reaches the cam follower end 48 of catch 44 the nose 46 will be released from arm 29 and a relatively strong spring 5|, anchored at one end to the bracket I2 and at the other end to arm 28, will turn the bellcrank still more in an anti-clockwise direction to bring the parts to the positions shown in Figure 5. The wheel 22 will now have been lowered on to the surface of wheel 2| but from what has been above stated it will be observed that this occurs only when the latter wheel is in a position to impart its slowest speed of drive to the spindle through wheel 22. At the same time, the wheel 24 will have been carried round the periphery of wheel 20 and in so doing will have been so lowered relatively to wheel 22 as to be disengaged therefrom and the drive which had previously been transmitted to wheel 22 through wheels 20 and 24- is now changed over to a drive that is direct from wheel 2| and the spindle is then rotated under the usual variable speed conditions.

If for any reason it is desired to stop rotation of spindle II, as, for instance, if the yarn breaks or the yarn package has been completed, it is only necessary to move the handle 32 into the position illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, whereupon the handle will be held in that position by engagement of catch 31 with pin 38.

It is obvious that in the construction illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 and Figure 9, the wheel 24 is permitted to make a planetary movement relatively to the wheel 20 and that the wheels 24 and 22, at an initial stage in the operation of driving the winding spindle from rest, are so disposed relatively to one another that a component of the surface speed of the wheel 24 (which may be considered as a driver wheel) will be dissipated in slip on the surface of the driving wheel; and as the driving operation progresses these two wheels are so relatively moved that the said component progressively decreases with a corresponding increase in the driving component of the surface speed.

It will be observed, particularly from Figures 2 and 9, that the point of engagement between wheels 22 and 24 is displaced radially of the wheel 22 a comparatively small distance only from the axis of that wheel. Consequently, on starting up the spindle H through the wheel 24 only a relatively small starting torque is afforded and as this torque has to overcome the starting resistance due to the inertia of the parts driven by the wheel 24 the small torque thus afforded contributes materially towards a gentle smooth starting up of the spindle I I. The point of engagement between the wheels is preferably approximately midway or less than midway along the radius of the wheel 22 considered from the axis of that wheel.

It is desirable in order that the spindle l I may be steadily started up from rest without snatching at the yarn to permit the wheel 24 to slip as described above relatively to the wheel 20 when the relatively slow starting drive is commenced. This slip can be increased if necessary by other means, for example, as shown in Figure 6 in which the wheel 20 is freely rotatable on shaft l9 and is held by a spring 52 pressed frictionally against a collar 53 fast on the spindle l9. The other end of the spring is held against a second collar 54 also fast on the shaft. The strength of the spring will be great enough to permit slipping only at the commencement of the starting up operation.

As a further example the wheel 20 may be yieldingly mounted on its shaft as, for example, in the construction illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. In this case there is a collar 55 fast on the shaft I9 affording at 56 anchorage for one end of a tension spring 58. The other end of the latter is anchored at 59 to the wheel 20 and. the latter is mounted freely on the shaft 19. Thus, in commencing to drive the wheel 24 the shaft l9 can rotate for a short time within the wheel 20 until the spindle picks up speed and during that time the spring 58 will be stretched. The direction of rotation of the wheel 20 is indicated by the arrow in Figure 7 and it will be seen that a projection 60 on the collar 55 and a co-operating stop 6| on the wheel 20 serve to limit the relative movement between the wheel and the spindle due to constriction of the spring 58 when the load on the wheel 24 is removed or decreased.

The frictional or yielding mounting of the wheel 20 on its shaft may be provided by any other preferred means if it is desired to permit slipping or yielding to occur between these two parts. In practice it will generally be found that sufiicient slipping will occur if the driving mechanism is constructed as described in connection with Figures 1 to 5 and Figure 9.

I claim:

,1. A yarn winder having a winding spindle, driving means for the spindle, variable speed driving connections between the spindle and the driving means, means for continuously shifting said variable driving connections to alternately increase and decrease the speed of the spindle, a Separate slow substantially uniform speed driving connection between the spindle and the driving means, and means for selectively coupling either of said connections to the spindle and the driving means.

2. A yarn winder having a winding spindle, driving means for the spindle, variable speed driving connections between the spindle and the driving means, means for continuously shifting said variable driving connections to alternately increase and decrease the speed of the spindle, a separate slow substantially uniform speed driving connection between the spindle and the driving means, and means for coupling the slow speed driving connections to the spindle and driving means to start the spindle from rest and to then uncouple the slow speed driving connections and couple the variable speed driving connections to the spindle and driving means.

3. A yarn winder having a winding spindle, a driving disc connected to the spindle, a drive shaft driven at a substantially uniform speed, a friction wheel connected to the drive shaft arranged to be brought into driving engagement with the disc, means for continuously shifting the friction wheel back and forth substantially radially across the face of the disc to alternately increase and de crease the speed of the spindle when driven'by the friction wheel, a second friction wheel, means to move the second friction wheel into driving engagement with the disc and the drive shaft to start the spindle from rest, and means to disconnect the driving connections between the second friction wheel and the disc and to connect the first mentioned friction wheel with the disc to alternately increase and decrease the speed of the spindle.

4. A yarn winder having a winding spindle, a driving disc connected to the spindle, a drive shaft driven at a substantially uniform speed, a friction wheel connected to the drive shaft arranged to be brought into driving engagement with the disc, means for continuously shifting the friction wheel back and forth substantially radially across the face of the disc to alternately increase and decrease the speed of the spindle when driven by the friction wheel, a second friction wheel, means to move the second friction wheel into driving engagement with the disc and the drive shaft to start the spindle from rest, and means to disconnect the driving connections between the second friction wheel and the disc and to connect the first mentioned friction wheel with the disc when said first friction wheel has been shifted to substantially its limit of movement toward the axis of the disc to alternately increase and decrease the speed of the spindle.

5. A yarn winder having a winding spindle, a driving disc connected to the spindle, a drive shaft driven at a substantially uniform speed, a friction wheel connected to the drive shaft, means for moving the disc into engagement with the friction wheel, a second friction wheel of smaller diameter than the first friction wheel connected to the drive shaft, an intermediate friction wheel between the face of the disc and the second friction wheel, means for moving the intermediate friction wheel into contact with and about the second friction wheel, a latch for arresting the movement of the intermediate friction wheel about the second friction wheel while in driving connection between the disc and the second friction wheel and while holding the disc out of contact with the first friction wheel, means for moving the first friction wheel substantially radially across the face of the disc, and means for releasing said latch when said first friction wheel has been shifted to substantially its limit of movement toward the axis of the disc to permit the intermediate friction wheel to move out of driving contact with the disc and permit the disc to move into driving contact with the first friction wheel.

6. A yarn winder having a winding spindle, a driving disc connected to the spindle, a drive shaft driven at a substantially uniform speed, a friction wheel connected to the drive shaft, means for moving the disc into engagement with the friction wheel, a second friction wheel of smaller diameter than the first friction wheel connected to the drive shaft, an intermediate friction wheel between the face of the disc and the second friction wheel, means for moving the intermediate friction wheel into contact with and about the second friction wheel, a latch for arresting the movement of the intermediate friction wheel about the second friction wheel while in driving connection between the disc and the second friction wheel and while holding the disc out of contact with the first friction wheel, means for moving the first friction wheel substantially radially across the face of the disc, means for releasing said latch when said first friction wheel has been shifted to substantially its limit of move ment toward the axis of the disc to permit the intermediate friction wheel to move out of driving contact with the disc and permit the disc to move into driving contact with the first friction wheel, and means for moving the intermediate friction wheel away from the second friction wheel and for moving the disc away from the first friction wheel to stop the driving of the spindle.

7. A yarn winder having a frame, a winding spindle journaled on the frame, a driving disc connected to the spindle but free to move along the spindle, a driving shaft below the disc substantially perpendicular to the spindle, a friction wheel on the driving shaft at one side of the spindle for driving the disc when in contact therewith, a second friction wheel on the driving shaft at the opposite side of the spindle, a lever pivoted to the frame, a second lever pivoted to the end of the first lever, an intermediate friction wheel between the disc and the second friction wheel rotatably mounted on the second lever, an adjustable stop for restraining the movement of the second lever in one direction about its pivot, a spring for moving the disc toward the friction wheels, a spring connected to the first lever for moving the intermediate friction wheel into contact with the second friction wheel, latching means for the first lever for holding the intermediate friction wheel out of contact with the second friction wheel and the disc out of contact with the first friction wheel, a cam shaft, gearing connecting the cam shaft to the driving shaft, a cam on the cam shaft, connections between the cam and the first friction wheel for moving said wheel back and forth across the face of the disc continuously to alternately decrease and increase the speed of the spindle when the disc is in contact with the first friction wheel, a stop for limiting the movement of the lever under the action of the spring connected thereto after the lever has been unlached and when the intermediate friction wheel is in engagement with the disc and the second friction wheel, a release cam on the cam shaft, and connections between the release cam and the stop for the lever arranged to release the stop when the first friction wheel is at the limit of its movement toward the axis of the disc, to permit the intermediate friction wheel to be drawn from contact with the disc and permit the disc to contact with the first friction wheel.

8. A yarn winder having a spindle journaled on the frame, a driving disc on the spindle connected for free movement along the spindle, a driving shaft normal to the spindle, a small friction wheel connected to the driving shaft, an intermediate friction wheel between the disc and the small friction wheel for driving the disc at a substantially continuous speed when in engagement with the disc and the small friction wheel, a large friction wheel on the driving shaft, reciprocating means for moving the large friction disc radially across the face of the disc to alternately increase and decrease the speed of the disc, and means for first connecting the disc in driving relation with the small friction wheel through the medium of the intermediate friction wheel and then release said driving relation and connecting the disc in direct driving relation with the large friction wheel when the large friction wheel is at substantially the limit of its movement toward the axis of the disc.

LESLIE HERBERT LEEDHAM. 

